Head of Wealth Risk, UAE and Middle East

About the role
The Head of Wealth Risk is the senior second-line risk leader for the Wealth business in UAE and MENAT. The role provides independent, forward-looking oversight and challenge across financial and non-financial risks, enabling sustainable growth while ensuring that the Wealth strategy, products, services, and distribution journeys operate within Group and local risk appetite, policy, and regulatory expectations.
The role holder acts as a trusted adviser to the MENAT IWPB CRO and represents Wealth Risk in key governance forums and provides an enterprise-wide view of the Wealth risk profile. The role is accountable for effective risk governance, escalation, transformation, and reporting, and for aligning market activity with Regional and Global IWPB/Wealth Risk priorities (International Wealth & Premier Banking).

What you’ll do

Principal Accountabilities

• Own the aggregated Wealth risk view for UAE/MENAT, including top and emerging risks, risk appetite, risk maps, key indicators, issues, stress testing, and scenario analysis.
• Provide independent input and challenge to governance forums within WPS to execute the Risk Strategy and Risk Appetite (ensuring alignment with Group Risk Appetite where necessary).
• Guide the implementation of the Group Risk Policies across Wealth, including any local exceptions to Group Risk Policy with relevant Risk Function Heads.
• Oversee the launch and ongoing management of investment and wealth products, services, and distribution journeys, including new-product due diligence, suitability and fair value considerations, third-party dependencies, and read-across across channels and customer segments.
• Provide oversight guidance of the implementation and ongoing effectiveness of risk management and associated procedures and controls across Wealth, including the assessment of vulnerabilities through stress-testing and scenario analysis.

Risk oversight and governance

• Provide oversight guidance implementation of strategic risk related projects and coordination of the risk transformation agenda across Wealth, developing a cohesive programme and approach and ensuring changes in one area do not adversely impact another.
• Maintain effective relationships with Wealth business leadership, IWPB and Wealth Risk, specialist second-line teams, Internal Audit and, subject to local requirements, regulators and other external stakeholders.
• Lead, develop and deploy Wealth Risk resources effectively, building a high-performing and inclusive team and a strong network of risk professionals across disciplines.
• Promote a strong risk and compliance culture, clearly communicating Risk Strategy, Policies, and Appetite, and reinforcing first-line ownership of risk.
• Support the business and Risk in market in the achievement of sustainable growth aspirations, by enabling the business to take risks appropriately and identifying opportunities for immediate and long-term growth based on a detailed understanding of strategy, risk profile, products, and markets in which the business operates in Wealth.

What we’re looking for

Experience and qualifications

• Typical qualifications would include a post-graduate degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Law, or a related field.
• Fluency in spoken and written business English.

Experience:

• Experience in more than one technical risk discipline.
• Significant senior risk leadership experience in private banking, wealth management, or a comparable regulated financial-services environment.
• Strong understanding of investment and wealth products, product governance, and distribution frameworks; experience across more than one risk discipline is preferred.
• Experience working in a regulated environment.

Technical Knowledge:

• Deep knowledge of risk governance, risk appetite, the Risk Management Framework, and financial and non-financial risk policies.
• Strong understanding of the local regulatory, legal, political, economic, and competitive environment affecting Wealth.

Behavioural Capabilities:

• Proven ability to advise and challenge senior executives, navigate a complex matrix, and influence across market, regional, and global stakeholders.
• Strong commercial judgement, conceptual thinking, and analytical capability, with the ability to translate complex information into clear decisions and executive briefings.
• Demonstrated leadership of high-performing teams and complex transformation programmes.

Benefits
The company is committed to building a culture where all employees are valued, respected, and opinions count. We take pride in providing a workplace that fosters continuous professional development, flexible working, and opportunities to grow within an inclusive and diverse environment. We believe diversity brings benefits for our customers, our business, and our people. Different ideas and perspectives help us innovate, manage risk, and grow the business sustainably.